Hospice seeks funds for its human dignity-centered care

Denver, Colo., May 5, 2014 / 23:02 pm

An end-of-life care organization based in Denver, Colo. will begin helping patients in earnest later this month and is raising funds in a particular way for a matching donation.

"It is an exciting time for Divine Mercy Supportive Care…all of our policies and procedures are in order and we have assembled our team of clinicians," Mark Skender, development director of the hospice, told CNA May 2.

"We are anticipating taking care of patients in the middle of May as we work towards satisfying the State Survey."

Divine Mercy provides charitable, educational, and medical services, offering compassionate care while affirming the dignity and sanctity of human life, and is committed to providing end-of-life care that fully accords with the teaching of the Church.

The hospice has already obtained nonprofit recognition, and recently applied for a license to operate in Colorado, which requires a survey process involving submissions to the state of policies, procedures, forms, and quality assurance plans, and demonstrating the financial ability to care for patients until it receives reimbursements from government agencies and insurance companies.

"We will be responsible for the expenses incurred while taking care of these patients as we work through this process," Skender explained.

To that end, a donor is matching any funds raised through May 12, up to $50,000. Thus any donation given to Divine Mercy will be doubled in value.

"We are extremely grateful for this and are looking forward to capitalizing on these matching funds," he said.

The fundraising campaign was launched April 17, and in five days had already accumulated more than $7,000.

Kevin Lundy, the organization's president, has explained that as a nonprofit, "unlike our for-profit colleagues whose first responsibility is to shareholders, Divine Mercy will use excess revenues to support other ministries whose missions are aligned with ours."

Lundy had told CNA in a February interview that "we have a focus on the Catholic faith."

"We'll care for anybody, just like Jesus Christ would, but we have a focus on … following the teachings of the Church."

While acknowledging that "all hospice agencies are made up of wonderful, loving, caring people," he explained that what distinguishes Divine Mercy Supportive Care is "our focus is on providing those sacramental services … the spiritual end-of-life preparation."

"We believe in caring for people in a manner consistent with the teachings of the Church."

At a meeting with Divine Mercy Supportive Care's board of directors, which includes Archbishop Samuel Aquila of Denver and Sr. Edith Mary Hart, RSM, Lundy reported that the hospice is in a "strong and vibrant" state.

"With evidence of regular intercessions from the Holy Spirit, your inclusion on this Board is not by chance, and further proof of the positive direction our company is moving."

The website for Divine Mercy Supportive Care is http://www.dmsci.org/.